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Iron Maiden - Death Of The Celts Adrian Smith's - Guitar Solo Tab

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Iron Maiden - Death Of The Celts Adrian Smith's guitar tab video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Iron Maiden Heavy Metal

About Death Of The Celts Adrian Smith's

Adrian Smith's "Death Of The Celts" is one of the more demanding pieces in the Iron Maiden catalogue for a lead guitarist to unpack. The track is built around a recurring melodic theme that flows through several guitar sections, requiring clean alternate picking and precise phrasing to keep the lines from turning muddy. Rhythm playing behind those leads also needs attention: the riffs sit in a galloping Heavy Metal feel that demands tight right-hand control and consistent palm muting. The lead passages contain interval jumps and runs that are harder than they first sound at tempo, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop each phrase slowed down before stitching the sections together. Getting the melodic lines to sing rather than just land on the right notes is the real challenge here, and that comes from controlling both pick attack and vibrato carefully. Work through the song in short segments and build up gradually.

  • The song features several extended melodic lead guitar passages that require clean alternate picking and controlled vibrato throughout.
  • Galloping rhythm guitar riffs underpin much of the track, demanding consistent palm muting and a tight, disciplined right hand.
  • Interval jumps within the lead lines are the trickiest passages to play cleanly at full tempo, making slow looped practice essential.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Iron Maiden's signature choice for heavy metal, the Strat's bright single-coils in neck and middle positions deliver the glassy, articulate tone that defines their melodic passages. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith pair bridge humbuckers with this platform to preserve pick dynamics and note definition rather than drowning in compressed gain.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The backbone of Maiden's iconic sound, the JCM800's moderate gain structure lets the power tubes sing without preamp saturation, preserving the punch and harmonic clarity that makes their riffs cut through a mix. Murray and Smith set gain moderately to maintain definition while pushing the amp into natural tube breakup.

Seymour Duncan JB
Pickup

Seymour Duncan JB

Adrian Smith's weapon of choice, the JB's balanced output drives Marshall amps into singing sustain without over-compressing dynamics, allowing his lead lines to breathe with clarity and snap. This moderate-output humbucker maintains the attack and articulation essential to Maiden's punchy, defined metal tone.

DiMarzio Super Distortion
Pickup

DiMarzio Super Distortion

Dave Murray's bridge pickup at 13k output strikes the perfect balance, hitting the Marshall hard enough for thick sustain yet retaining enough dynamics for expressive bending and harmonic control. It's hot enough to sing but not so overwound that it flattens the natural Strat character underneath.

Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
Pedal

Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive

Murray and Smith use this clean boost to push their Marshalls harder during solos, adding aggression without relying on pedal distortion, keeping the tube amp saturation as the true tone source. The SD-1 preserves their natural playing dynamics while giving leads extra presence and cut.

ISP Decimator Noise Gate
Pedal

ISP Decimator Noise Gate

Smith occasionally employs this noise gate to manage feedback and hum from his high-output rig without sacrificing sustain, staying true to Maiden's philosophy of minimal pedal intervention. It's a practical tool for live performance that doesn't color the natural tube amp tone.

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